Japanese F3
Kenta Yamashita lifted his maiden Japanese Formula 3 title in style by sweeping all three races at the Sugo season finale.
The TOM’S Toyota driver began the weekend by claiming pole position in qualifying before taking out the first heat from title rival Jann Mardenborough by 1.5s, while Sho Tsuboi finished third.
Yamashita repeated the feat in the second race as he just held off Mardenborugh to the flag by a second.
He saved his best drive for the 18 lap final that saw Yamashita defeat Mardenborough for a third time to claim the championship by three points.
Tsuboi ended the series third in the standings courtesy of third place finishes in the final two races.
Super Formula
Yuhi Sekiguchi has vaulted to the top of the Super Formula standings after scoring his second victory of the season at the penultimate round at Sugo.
The Team Impul racer sprinted into an early lead from pole position after posting a series of fastest laps.
Kazuki Nakajima initially led the chase before a gearbox issue saw him drop to sixth.
However, Sekiguchi’s advantage evaporated when the Safety Car was deployed after Joao Paulo de Oliveira lost control and spun into the gravel trap on lap 19.
While his rivals elected to pit under the caution, Sekiguchi missed the opportunity to make his mandatory stop.
Once racing resumed, Sekiguchi continued to set a blistering pace to open up a gap, which allowed the Japanese driver to pit and rejoin in the lead.
He eventually took the chequered flag by 14.2s from Daisuke Nakajima with Tomoki Nojiri third.
Kazuki Nakajimi recovered to finish fourth ahead of Andre Lotterer and McLaren Formula 1 reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne.
Sekiguchi has opened up a 4.5 point lead over Yuji Kunimoto ahead of the double header season finale at Suzuka from October 28-30.
Audi R8 LMS Cup
Marchy Lee and former Formula 1 driver Alex Yoong shared the spoils in the latest round of the Audi R8 LMS Cup at the Korea International Circuit.
Lee was gifted victory in the first race when contact between pole-sitter Alessio Picariello and Yoong two laps from the end offered up a passing opportunity.
While Picariello and Yoong squabbled for position, Lee went on to take the win by 11.07s from Rahel Frey and Kyong-Ouk You.
Yoong ended the race in 13th spot while Picariello came home in 15th.
Keen to make amends for hi Race 1 disaster, Yoong completed a dominant victory in the second heat.
Martin Rump finished in second 6.4s adrift of the Malaysian, with Lee scoring his second podium of the weekend in third.
Despite being handed a 10-place grid penalty for Race 1 contact with Yoong, Picariello fought his way through to fourth.
Yoong leads the series standings with Lee just 11 points adrift in second. Picariello is a point further back in third.
The series heads to Taiwan’s Penbay International Circuit from October 15-16.
FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship
Gaurav Gill continued his dominance of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship by recording his fourth consecutive win of the season at Rally Hokkaido in Japan.
Gill and co-driver Stephane Prevot took their Skoda to a comfortable victory over title rivals Fabian Kreim and Frank Christian (Skoda), while the New Zealand pair of Mike Young and Malcolm Read (Subaru) finished third.
The Indian driver set up the convincing victory by scoring eight stage wins on the opening day before adding a further four triumphs on the final leg.
Gill leads Kreim by 42 points ahead of the penultimate Rally Malaysia round from October 29-30.
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